Portable fire extinguisher and sprayer



Sept. 6, 1932.

c. r. CLIFFORD PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND SPRAYER Filed March 18, 1932 I N VEN TOR.

Patented Sept. 6, 1932 UNITED STATES CURTIS T. CLIFFORD, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA PORTABLE FIRE nxrmeuisnnnnnnsrnAYnR Application filed March 18, 1932. Serial No. 599,707.

My invention relates to portable fire fighting apparatus and Sprayers, and my improvements are applicable particularly to the knapsack type of device and to facilitate the carrying and handling of the apparatus.

.Vhile not limited to use in fighting forest and brush fires it is particularly applicable thereto, and my improvements enable the user to transport and operate the device with the least fatigue and interference, and therefore to secure the greatest eificiency in his fire fighting efforts.

This class of device is kept ready at hand to be employed on instant call and frequently must be transported by hand or on the back of the operator over considerable distances, often through brush and undergrowth, and during such time it is imperative that it be least obstructive to his efforts and ready at hand for instant use.

I have found that in using apparatus of this class the operator who upon instant call wishes to employ the device may be tall or short, right or left handed; he may employ 9.5 it in the open but more usually will have to pass through brush and undergrowth while he is transporting it to the place of use, and that projecting parts if fixed with the tank portions not infrequently engage with the brush and tear the device from his hands or back, or throw him to the ground, resulting in injury to the apparatus or person and delay at a critical time.

With these obj ects in mind I provide a sup- 5 ply tank formed on both sides to fit the operator and adapted to contain a fluid extinguisher or a sprayer medium; a flexible hose connection, a nozzle and a pump for forcing 40 the fluid through the nozzle, fixtures for re taining the parts in compact form until the pump is to be used, and also for carrying the assembled apparatus either by hand or strapped to the shoulders; the assembled parts thus forming an integral structure, light, compact and convenient and most efiicient for forest fire fighting and the like, or for general spraying purposes.

By referring to the drawing my invention will be made clear.

Figure 1 is aperspective view of the assembled apparatus. a Figure 2 is a section of Figure l on the line II]II thereof. V r

The tank or containeris indicated bythe numeral 1a, and this is adapted to contain the liquid or fluid extinguisher or spray to be employed. 1 Y s V r At 2 is a suitable form of closure cap to give access to andfor filling or cleaning the tank. At 3 is a bail pivoted at 4, 5,having spring clips 6, 7, adaptedto, receive and frictionally hold the pump and nozzle portions of the apparatus 15, 16, during transportation and handling and while the pump is'not actually being used. These clips automatically re lease the pump on passing through and engaging brush, their open ends always being to the rearand away from the directions in which'the operator moves. j; 6

The several positions as 360 and 35 into which the bail 3 may be swungalsoenable the tank to be filled through the cap 2 with the greatest facility. v l 1 At 8, 9, are connections on the. upper portion of the tank, and atlO, 11, other connections on the lower portion to which convenient shoulder straps,'well known but not shown, maybe attached. v Referring to the tank, it will be noticed is' thatits two outer sides are curved to fit the back of the operator as shown at 1a, lb, respectively, and that in using the apparatus it matters not which way it be picked up, either side will equally well adapt itself. to ,the baok of the operator with the maximum of comfort. The bail 3 likewise is adapted to-swing from-the fullline position through a full range to the other side of thetank as shown by dotted lines at 3a, or into the upright position as shown at 36, in which latteryposition it may be used as a handle. A spring device at 12 may be'employed to friction'ally retain the bail in the position 3?) so that it is always ready to be quickly picked up by hand, swung into position on the back and may then freely fall or be forced into position 3a if the side lacontacts withthe back, or into position 3 if the side 1?) con.- tacts with the back. i p 1 verted from making his way with l I I self or'the apparatus he outlet from the tank 1 hose 14, with the pump 15, and nozzle outlet 16, is

At 13 is a nipple connected with the and handle portion through which the extinguishing fluid ejected by hand operation.

It will be noticed that with the bail in either position 3 or 8a away from the back of the operator any projecting portion of the nozzle or hose or pump which engages with underbrush will automatically pull the nozzle and associated parts out ofthe spring clips 6,7, as the operator is proceeding, without throwing him or tearing the apparatus from his shoulders. improvement in devices of this kind as in forest firefighting the operator making his way through the forest must not be impeded in his progress, nor must his attention be diand accuracy by having to disentangle himing to circumvent brush order to get his apparatus through. For the same reason, quickly grasping the apparatus by the bail in the position 36 from where it may be located use, he must not be delayed or thoughts diverted by some special requirements in the positioning upon 'or back. He must be able to pick it up and position.

CURTIS T. CLIFFORD.

This is a very important 1 desp atch is carrying, or havand undergrowth 1n .prior to a call for have his his shoulders throw it on his back, and my device will at such time fall into position with the bail swung clear of his back and with the nozzle in the proper position, whether he be right or left handed, and without further eliort or thought, and to proceed without portions of the apparatus jabbing him in the ribs or spine,- and Whether he be tall or short, thin or fat, until he arrives at the point of use when it must be instantly available for that purpose.

*I claim:

-1. A portable ible hose attached to said tank; force pump means having one end connected to said hose; a bail pivoted to the upper portion of and adapted to swing to either side of said tank; spring clip means fixed to said bail and adapted to frictionally grip said pump means, and other means adapted to detachably hold said bail in a predeterminedposition. 7

3. A portable fire extinguisher and sprayer fire extinguisher and sprayer comprising a tank having opposite sides each grip said pump to lit the back of an operator; a flexv 

